Vacuum dust pan and reel



H. K. CYMARA VACUUM DUST PAN AND REEL Dec. 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March" 31, 1959 INVENTOR.

HERMANN KARL CYMARA ATTORNEY Dec. 5, 1961 H. K. cYMARA 1, 1

VACUUM nus'r PAN AND REEL Filed March 31, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG] PIC-1,5 FIG-6 INVENTOR. HERMANN KARL CYMARA AT TORNEY Dec. 5, 1961 H. K. CYMARA VACUUM nusr PAN AND REEL Filed March :51, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y. A w

FIG.8

INVENTOR. HERMANN KARL CYMARA Arrogwgv United States Patent 3,011,201 VACUUM DUST PAN AND REEL Hermann Karl Cymara, RD. 2, Box 212, Newfield, N.Y. Filed Mar. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 803,202 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-310) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners used in homes as well as to vacuum cleaning systems such as are used in large buildings and hotels. When the place involves a considerable number of rooms to be cleaned, the building may be provided with a number of vacuum outlets connected to a central vacuum machine located in the basement or elsewhere so that it is only necessary to carry a hose from room to room instead of an entire vacuum cleaning machine. While this reduces the amount of labor required, it is still necessary to carry a long hose and its various attachments from room to room; and cumbersome carts are used in some hotels, while in homes the housewife carries the equipment as best she may.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a more convenient carrying device than previously employed, one that is relatively light, will stand on its own base in a handy reeling position wherever placed, and which provides suitable facilities for holding the nozzle,

brush and other accessories as well as a place to shake dust cloths and mops, so that a room can be thoroughly cleaned and dusted without opening the windows. Furthermore the device is so constructed and arranged that it can be enclosed or stored in an attractive cabinet in keeping with the style of furniture of a living room so that it is always readily available yet in' no way disfigures the appearance of a nicely furnished room. Aside from the hose, the principal parts of the device are pref-' erably'made of sheet aluminum and tubing so that it can be readily manufactured, will retain a pleasing appearance and can be produced at a reasonable cost.

Referring now to the drawings forming part of this specification,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view showing the side of the reel, the dust mop pan and control valve, part of the hose, and the extension handle tubes and nozzle ac- FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the cabinet with the front door open and the reel therein.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the same with the side door of the cabinet open.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cabinet with the doors closed so that it resembles a piece of furniture.

FIG. 8 shows a modified form of the reel and valve that is particularly adapted to light'metal construction, the View showing the control valve turned to the dust mop pan.

FIG. 9 is a detail view of the control valve of FIG. 8 turned so as to connect with the vacuum cleaner hose.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts thruout the various views.

As shown in FIG. 1, the reel 1 has a drum 2 witha bottom 2' and flanges or side plates 3. On the periphery of one of its side plates 3 may be a handle 4 by which the whole apparatus can be carried; and as U 3,011,201 Patented Dec. 5, 1961 the metal parts are almost entirely of aluminum or other light metal, the total weight is not much more than the weight of the hose 5 which is reeled thereon. This hose 5 is of sufficient length to reach easily to various parts of the room, and when in use it has a tubular handle 6 with a suitable brush or suction nozzle 6' attached to its free end, or the nozzle 6' can be connected directly to the hose 6 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, thus providing a short cleaning tool as in an ordinary vacuum cleaner.

The other end of the hose Spasses thru the drum 2 of the reel 1 into the annular recess formed by the inside of the drum. This reel 1 having the drum 2 is mounted for rotation on a tube or pipe 7 for its pivotal axis as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 8, this pipe 7 extending thru the rear side of the reel 1 where itleads to a shorter hose 10 that can be connected to any source of vacuum 11 (see FIG. 4), such as the outlets from a central vacuum machine found in the basement of hotels, business buildings, and homes and clubs of modern construction.

When the hose 10 is connected to such a vacuum outlet the vacuum is transmitted thru the hose 10, pivotal axis pipe 7, hose 5 and cleaning tool 6, 6' for cleaning the room. When the room is being dusted with a dust cloth or dust mop, a place is provided for taking the dust from such a cloth or mop as follows.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1, FIG. '2 and FIG. 3, the hose 5 after entering the annular recess inside the drum 2 of the reel 1, terminates by connect-, ing to a short pipe or T-elbow 15 which ends in a collar 15f rotatably mounted on the fixed pipe 7 that is connected to the vacuum source. The axis of rotation of the reel 1 is that of the collar 15 turning on the pipe 7 which is itself mountedon the legs or base 20 supporting the entire structure. V

A tube 24 fits within the pipe 15 to control the flow of air and may be rotated by turning the valve handle 23. One side of the tube 24 has an opening 25 of about the size of the part of the pipe 15 leading to the hose 5. When this opening 25 is turned toward the pipe 15 as shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum from the hose 10 is connected to the hose 5 leading to the cleaning tool 6-6; but when the valve handle 23 andthe valve tube 2-4 are turned so that the opening 25 is in the opposite direction, the wall of the tube 24 opposite the opening'25 closes the vacuum to the cleaning tool 6-6 while at the same time it connects the opening 25 to the orifice 17 leading to the open air so that a vacuum suction is created in the annular recess within the drum 2 tosuck away dust that may be shaken into that recess by a dust mop or cloth. A wire mesh screen 27 is -provided over this central intake to guard against sucking the dust mop orrdust cloth into the orifice 17. I

Various forms of cleaning tools and accessories may be used. The cleaning tool 6 may be carried directly on the end of the hose 5 if so desired. A long tubular handle 6 such as is more often used in cleaning can be made in two sections so that it can be more conveniently transported. The two sections of the tubular part 6 can be attached if desired to the face of the reel 1 by suitable clips 30. The whole apparatus can then be easily picked up and carried by the handle 4 on the rim of the reel flange 3 .or other suitable hand-1e. A spring 31 may be inserted between the frame 20 and reel 1 to assist in rewinding the hose on the reel. Other assisting means for rewinding the hose such as electric motor drives may also be used.

I When the apparatus is used in hotels or other large buildings no more apparatus is required than thatabove described. But in some homes it may be desirable to conceal it in a room where it is in effect a part of the permanent furniture. For that purpose the cabinet 40 is provided as shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 6' and FIG. 7. Referring now to FIG. 5, which is an elevation view of such a cabinet 40 with the front door 41 open, the reel 1, drum 2, flange plates 3, etc., can be partly seen thru the front door opening, and the control valve cap 23 (see FIG. 1) is readily accessible. FIG. 6 is a side elevation view, with a door 42 on that side open, thru which the hose on the reel 1 can be reached. The short hose which connects to the wall outlet passes out thru a central opening 43 in the back of the cabinet, so that it is generally concealed from view. A drawer 45 as shown in FIG. 7, may be provided below the front door 41, in which small parts such as the nozzle, cloths for cleaning, etc., may be stored.

When all the doors are closed, the cabinet which may be finished in any attractive manner, becomes to the casual observer merely a piece of furniture, on which may be placed a lamp, flowers, or other decorative articles as on any other cabinet. Its utilitarian purpose is to save carrying the cleaning apparatus or storing it in another place.

The modification of the vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 8 employs a lighter and somewhat more convenient valve construction also shown in FIG. 9, which requires no lubrication and is easy to manufacture, service and clean. This form shown in FIG. 8 can be set up in the cabinet 40 in the same manner as the other modification first described.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the frame or base 20 carries the hollow stub 7 forming the pivotal axis for the rotatable drum 2 and reel 1 on which may be wound the vacuum hose 5. The vacuum is supplied to the hollow central bearing stub 7 by the hose 10 which connects to the vacuum source 11 (see FIG. 4-). Since it is desired to connect the vacuum to either the central bowl of the reel to clean dust mops or at other times to the vacuum cleaner hose 5 and tool 6, the vacuum orifice of the stub 7 is covered by a two way valve 50 corresponding in general function to the valve 1724-25 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, but having some further advantages.

As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the valve 50 has a conical top 51 provided with a grip 52 by which it can be turned; and under the cone 51 is a cylindrical shell 53 open at the bottom or inner end so as to communicate with the vacuum in the hollow stub 7. In one side of the cylindrical shell 53 in an opening 55 thru which air can be drawn, this opening 55 being preferably in the form of a notch or oval extending somewhat less than half way around the cylinder so that its back half has an unbroken wall. This cylindrical valve shell 53 is rotatably mounted in a housing 56 centrally located with its axis in line with that of the stub 7, the housing 56 being mounted on the disk of the rotatable drum 2 and having one lateral orifice 58 opening into the air in the central bowl of the drum 2, and also having another lateral orifice 59 on the other side leading to the vacuum cleaner hose 5 and its cleaning tool.

When the drum is rotated to reel or unreel the hose 5, the housing 56 and the valve member 50 within it both rotate with the drumbut maintain whatever position they may have been set relative to each other.

When the valve 50 is set in the position shown in FIG. 8, air is taken in from the open bowl of the reel 2 after passing thru a screen 60 which protects dust mops and dust cloths from being sucked in too far. This screen 60 extends up close to the top 51 but does not prevent rotating the top by the grip 52 when desired to eifect a different setting. When the valve 50 is turned by the handle 52 into the opposite direction as shown in FIG. 9, the connection to the bowl is closed and the valve open ing 55 then communicates with the housing orifice 59 leading to the hose 5 and its cleaning tool. The entire valve member 50 can be lifted out at any time without disturbing the screen 60,- so that any obstruction that might develop in the mechanism may be easily located and cleaned.

While I have in the foregoing described certain specific forms by way of example, it will be understood that they are merely for the purposes of illustration to make clear the principles of the invention, which is not limited to the particular forms shown, but is susceptible to various modifications and adaptations in different installations as will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as stated in the following claim.

I claim:

In a vacuum cleaner dust pan and reel, the combination of a rotatably mounted hose reel having side flanges and an inner drum having a bottom, said drum being open at one side thru the middle of a flange to form a dust pan while the other flange forms the bottom of said pan, a main vacuum cleaner hose mounted on the reel, an axial suction pipe forming a pivot for the rotation of the reel, a terminal mounted on said pivot and branching in two directions, one branch leading to the hose on the reel and the other branch leading to the interior of the dust pan inside the drum, a screen enclosing said branches to guard against drawing dust cloths or mops therein, a rotary valve having an opening extending into the axial pivot pipe and also having a lateral orifice which may be turned to open either into the hose branch or the dust pan branch of the rotatable terminal but at no time to both simultaneously, a frame in regard to which the rotatable reel can turn, said frame having supporting legs extending from the axial suction pipe pivot along the side of the reel flange that forms the bottom of the pan and then across the periphery of the reel and hose thereon whereby said legs can support the reel whether it stands in a vertical or horizontal position, a shorter vacuum hose attached at one end to the axial suction pipe and at the other end connecting the axial suction pipe to a suitable source of vacuum to draw away the dust from the vacuum cleaner pan and reel, a cabinet for enclosing the main vacuum cleaner hose, reel and pan, said cabinet having a front, sides, top and back, with a front door giving access to the dust pan and a side door opening on the periphery of the reeled hose, there being a small opening in the back of the cabinet thru which the shorter hose may pass to the source of vacuum. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 280,413 Swank et a1 h July 3, 1883 2,334,141 Zierden Nov. 9, 1943 2,625,703 Devan Jan. 20, 3 2,718,655 Cymana Sept. 27, 1955 

